Census Data for Knoxville
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Knoxville a population of 187,532 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Knoxville a population of 178,874 people.
The city of Knoxville is located in Knox County. The 2010 Census gave Knox County; a population of 432,226 people. This means that Knoxville had 41.38% of the county's total population, making it Knox's most populous community.
At the same time, Tennessee had a population of 6,346,105 people, meaning that Knoxville had 2.82% of the total population of Tennessee - making it the state's 3rd most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Knoxville has a total area of 104.2 square miles [269.8 km²]. Of this total, 98.5 square miles [255.2 km²] is land, with the balance (5.42%) being water (5.65 square miles [14.6 km²]).
Knox County has a land area of 508 square miles [1,316.3 km²]. At 98.5 square miles [255.2 km²], Knoxville has 19.39% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Knoxville, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Knoxville reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Knoxville might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 35° 58' 15" (or 35.97°)
- Lon: -83° 56' 47" (or -83.95°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Knoxville had 88,009 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 178,874 people, this averages 2.03 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Knoxville had a land area of 98.5 square miles [255.2 km²]. This translates to 844 Housing Units per square mile [326.2 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Knoxville had 84,981 Housing Units, a population of 173,890 people and a land area of 92.7 square miles [240 km²]. This gives a density of 2.05 people per Housing Unit and 866 Housing Units per square mile [334.5 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Knoxville and you need to be careful when comparing results between the censuses. More information about these differences can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Knox County ...
Knoxville is located in Knox County<4> and is the County Seat for Knox County.
The county had a population of 432,226 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 178,874 people, Knoxville represented 41.38% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Knoxville has a population density of 1,717 people per square mile [662 people/km²], Knox County averages 850 people per square mile [328.4 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Knox County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Knoxville, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Knoxville. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Knoxville or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Knoxville, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Knoxville.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 35.970875° (or 35°58'15" N)
- Lon: -83.946479° (or -83°56'47" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 35.972882° (or 35°58'22" N)
- Lon: -83.942161° (or -83°56'31" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 1,469 feet to the southwest<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2404842) to Knoxville. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Knoxville. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 35.968817° (or 35°58'7" N)
- Lon: -83.949922° (or -83°56'59" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 1,262 feet to the northeast<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Knoxville. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Knoxville.
Miscellaneous Information for Knoxville ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Knox County or the city of Knoxville:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 47 (Tennessee)
- County Code: 093 (Knox County)
- Place Code: 40000 (Knoxville)
- State & County Code: 47/093 (Tennessee / Knox County)
- State & Place Code: 47/40000 (Tennessee / Knoxville)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Knoxville is located in Census Region #3 (the South Region) and Division #6 (the East South-Central Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Knoxville.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Knoxville: www.ci.knoxville.tn.us/
The official website for Knox County: www.knoxcounty.org/
The official website for State of Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of Tennessee's counties, including Knox, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 119 degrees and a distance of 1,469 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 306 degrees and a distance of 1,262 feet. |